1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elevated platter to allow for the simultaneous preparation of two large plates or large prepackaged meals, such as pizzas, in a microwave oven. The elevated platter is designed to be placed in the interior of the microwave oven to provide an elevated plate to support a second or other additional large plate or large prepackaged meal above a first container so that the operative capacity of the microwave oven is duplicated with the consequent economy in time and power consumption.
2. Description of Related Art
Many microwave ovens incorporate a rotating circular plate which is used as a support means for a dish or cookware containing the foods to be cooked. In operation, the microwave emits radiant energy within its cooking chamber which heats food items placed or contained therein, causing the food to become warm and therefore to be cooked. The microwave oven may further incorporate a timing selector, operable by the user, which acts on a timer for allowing the user to determine the cooking time and permits different cooking options provided by the microwave oven.
There are a few types of supports that may be placed on the internal rotating plate of the microwave oven to allow the possibility of simultaneous cooking two different dishes, one of them disposed on the rotating plate of the oven and the other on the support as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,171. However, the prior supports are accompanied by considerable drawbacks which limit their use, because in order to take out the dish located on the rotating plate of the oven, it is first necessary to withdraw the support with the dish, or use a dish or plate limited to a size that fits into a notch at both sides of the support platform.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an elevated platter that fits within a microwave oven that can hold a large plate or prepackaged meal above a second large plate or prepackaged meal. The elevated platter would allow the plates to be inserted or removed from the oven without having to remove the elevated platter, tip the plates, or require special plates to work in conjunction with the elevated platter.
An elevated platter for an additional large plate or large prepackaged meal, such as a pizza in a microwave oven, according to the present invention advantageously overcomes the problems outlined above. The elevated platter allows unobstructed access to a large plate or a large prepackaged meal, such as a pizza, located on the rotating plate of the microwave oven as well as to the large plate or large prepackaged meal such as a pizza placed on top of the elevated platter. The elevated platter allows the operative oven capacity to be doubled.
The elevated platter includes a generally circular plate having a peripheral ridge. The elevated platter has three rectangular xe2x80x9cpostsxe2x80x9d to raise the circular plate a certain height. The posts are curved to match the curve of the circular plate and extend downward perpendicular from the outer edge of the circular plate. Two of the posts are positioned closer to the diametrical center and are useable as left and right supporting posts so as to leave a large open space in one side for use as the front access. With this configuration, a dish or container for foods to be cooked, including larger plates of food and prepackaged meals such as a pizza, can be placed on the circular plate directly above the rotating circular base of the microwave oven, on which may also be placed another dish containing other foods, of same large-sized meal proportions or smaller, for simultaneous cooking. The dishes may be removed separately or simultaneously due to the large open front-space created between the left and right support posts. The elevated platter may further include a rotating base or may be constructed to rest on an oven""s rotating plate so that the platter will rotate with the rotating base or plate.
The present invention substantially increases microwave oven capacity and ease of use, without the access and size restrictions of currently available supports. Thus, the present invention constitutes an innovation in the field of small electric home appliances and, in particular in the field of wares or set of utensils, and is applicable at a domestic level as well as at an industrial level.
A more complete understanding of the elevated platter will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages and objects thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings that will first be described briefly.